Chocolate dipped strawberries are a very simple dessert to make, they are delicious , aesthetically appealing and a lot of Fun. They're crowd pleasers and and taste bud teasers.

To start, you'll need to get the ingredients together: , chocolate chips or chunks - white or milk chocolate for semi-sweet you can use any type., white chocolate chips, canola oil, food coloring (oil based), sprinkles, chopped nuts, and whatever else you think might go good on a chocolate dipped strawberry Don't forget the strawberries.

1. Wash the strawberries. I generally place them in a colander or strainer and run under cold tap water for a few minutes, shaking the colander to make sure all the berries are cleaned. Spread the berries out on a dry paper towel - blot off the water . Let them air dry also for a while, they must be completely dry before you dunk them in the melted chocolate or you'll wind up with bubbles and blobs. It is also unsanitary and poses a health risk if you plan on keeping them for some time.

2. Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and zap until it is liquid, Stir it about every 30 seconds. Heat and stir the chips, if overheated chocolate thickens it becomes hard to work with. The best way to ensure it's not overcooked, is to leave some of the pieces still un-melted. when you remove it from the microwave. Add 1/4 teaspoon of canola oil {Or vegetable oil} for every cup of chips melted. The oil gives the melted chocolate a smoother, more appealing appearance.

If you're melting a large quantity of chocolate, the slow cooker or crock pot is a good way to melt it while maintaining the desired consistency for a longer period.

3. Dip the Berries Dip the strawberries into the melted chocolate. Turn the berry in the mix while holding it by the top or stem, coat it with chocolate almost to the top. Allow any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. An ice cube tray makes a good holder for the freshly dipped berries.

4. Toppings - While the chocolate is still wet, roll the berry in whatever toppings you want, sprinkles, chopped nuts, confectioner sugar .... you can also sprinkle the toppings on.

5. Decorate Add other coatings and drizzles, after the first chocolate coating has dried

A. Colored Chocolates - Add food coloring to white chocolate to decorate your strawberries You can then dip them or even use a paintbrush to customize your chocolate strawberries. Most food coloring's are water based and will turn melted chocolate into a pasty consistency that is not easily workable. Wilton's Candy Colors produces oil based food coloring, which works best for this application.

B. Painting Strawberries - Pour some melted chocolate into a squeezable bottle. You can keep it at the right consistency by laying it in a cup of hot or warm water. A squeeze bottle gives the most best control, but you can also use a plastic bag to make a Pastry Bag twist the bag from the top and gently push the chocolate to a lower corner . Cut a small hole at the corner , and apply the melted chocolate by squeezing it through that hole. You can also use a thin paintbrush to add designs.

C. Double Dipping - You might want to Double dip your strawberries in alternating layers of white ,dark and colored chocolates to make eye-catching designs. Make sure the first layer is dry before dipping again.

D. Drizzles -melted chocolate can be drizzled on in varying patterns.

Storage : Keep strawberries refrigerated (uncovered or loosely covered) for up to 8 hours before serving. If stored longer, juice from the berries will leak out and leave pools at the base of each berry. The texture gradually declines.